Hanrahan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The many Irish surnames in use today have long rich histories behind them. The name Hanrahan originally appeared in Gaelic as O hAnrachain, which may be a variant of O hAnradhain, which is derived from the word anradh, which means warrior.

Early Origins of the Hanrahan family

Early History of the Hanrahan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hanrahan research.Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hanrahan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hanrahan Spelling Variations

One explanation for the many variations is that scribes and church officials frequently spelled the name as it sounded: an imprecise method at best. Understandably then, various spellings of the surname Hanrahan were found in the many archives researched. These included Hanrahan, O'Hanrahan, Hanraghan and others.

Early Notables of the Hanrahan family (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Hanrahan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hanrahan family to the New World and Oceana

Suffering from poverty and racial discrimination, thousands of Irish families left the island in the 19th century for North America aboard cramped passenger ships. The early migrants became settlers of small tracts of land, and those that came later were often employed in the new cities or transitional work camps. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Although the immigrants from this period were often maligned when they arrived in the United States, they provided the cheap labor that was necessary for the development of that country as an industrial power. Early immigration and passenger lists have revealed many immigrants bearing the name Hanrahan:

Hanrahan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Margaret Hanrahan, an indentured individual on record in Pennsylvania in 1772

The Hanrahan Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.